Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Guide: Camping
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Highlights
- Roughly 25 percent larger than Switzerland, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is the largest and wildest national park in America, with unprecedented opportunities for camping and backpacking in the front- or backcountry.
- Most people access the park from McCarthy, a remote and tiny frontier town at the end of a rough, 60-mile gravel road beginning in the village of Chitina. Don’t rush the drive to McCarthy, since spikes still remain from the railroad’s conversion to McCarthy Road. Most people who are prepared and take it slow fare just fine, though.
- Some of the world’s best bush pilots fly in the Wrangell-St. Elias. Hire Wrangell Mountain Air in McCarthy to drop you off at Iceberg Lake in the Chugach Range for wilderness camping and hiking among dramatic glaciers and mountains.
- Inquire at the visitor center by National Creek in Kennicott for directions to camping areas by the lake below Donoho Peak. Visit SEAG or Kennicott Wilderness Guides if you want a guide for crossing the glacier.
- Free primitive tent camping just a short walk from McCarthy is available on the gravel bars between the Kennicott River and McCarthy Creek. Immediately after crossing the second footbridge, turn right on the faint trail.
- Find hot showers and fresh water at the Glacier View Campground, mile 59 of the McCarthy Road, and enjoy the scenic views and camaraderie with other campers.
- The St. Elias Alpine Guides parking lot near the end of the McCarthy Road is five dollars per night, cheaper than the five dollars per day rate elsewhere. Parking is free if you book a hike or backcountry trip with them.
- Wrangell-St. Elias is bear country, so camp wisely. Luckily, the bears are not acclimated, but checking out a bear-resistant food container from the National Park Service is still a wise choice if you camp beyond McCarthy/Kennicott.
By Travel Expert:
Jeremy Pataky
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